Comments needed concerning trail closures in Big Bear

[sarah]

Comments sent!

[RAT]

Just received this via email today: Time to get out the pen and paper; they want written responses for the appeal process.

On September 27, 2012, Jody Noiron, San Bernardino National Forest Supervisor, decided to approve restoration of habitat through administrative changes, decommissioning, and restoration of 16.5 miles of National Forest Transportation System (NFTS) roads and 32.6 miles of unauthorized routes in the Big Bear, Holcomb and Coxey Watersheds on the Mountaintop Ranger District to provide for habitat and watershed protection. A copy of the Decision Memo is available for public review on the Forest website at: http://data.ecosystem-management.org...?forest=110512 or at the San Bernardino National Forest Supervisor’s Office, 602 S. Tippecanoe Ave., San Bernardino, California. If you have any questions or would like a copy of the Decision Memo sent to you, please contact Tom Hall, Environmental Coordinator at: phone (909) 382-2905; email thall@fs.fed.us.



This decision is subject to appeal pursuant to 36 CFR 215. Individuals or organizations who submitted comments or otherwise expressed interest in the project during the comment period specified at §215.6 may appeal this decision. To initiate an appeal, a written notice of appeal must be postmarked within 45 days of the publication date (11/16/2012) of the legal notice of this decision in the San Bernardino Sun. Attachments received after the 45 day appeal period will not be considered. The publication date in the San Bernardino Sun is the exclusive means for calculating the time to file an appeal. A statement of appeal, including attachments, must be filed (regular mail, fax, e-mail, hand-delivery, express delivery, or messenger service) with:



Appeal Deciding Officer

Randy Moore, Regional Forester

1323 Club Drive

Vallejo, California, 94592



The office business hours for those submitting hand-delivered appeals are 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Electronic appeals must be submitted in a format such as an email message, plain text (.txt), rich text format (.rtf), or Word (.doc) to appeals-pacificsouthwest-regional-office@fs.fed.us with “Habitat Restoration in the Big Bear Watershed Project” in the subject line. In cases where no identifiable name is attached to an electronic message, a verification of identity will be required. A scanned signature is one way to provide verification.



If no appeals are filed within the 45 day appeal period, implementation of the decision may occur on, but not before, five business days from the close of the appeal filing period. When appeals are filed under 36 CFR 215, implementation may occur on, but not before, the 15th business day following the date of the last appeal disposition.

[Roger]

I received the email also.

I feel the way to appeal is to demand they proved the routes are impacting water quality. If you look at my comments to them based on an investigation by myself and Nick, it's obvious the trails are not causing significant erosion.

[FishPOET]

How do we hold Jody Noiron accountable for these proposed actions?

[RAT]

How do we hold Jody Noiron accountable for these proposed actions?

Stake him/her to an ant hill? Sorry...

[RAT]

How do we hold Jody Noiron accountable for these proposed actions?

Honestly I have no idea. But I'm drafting my letter now referencing some of Roger and Nicks findings.

[RAT]

letter sent.

[kkhrod]

Received the email as well. I will be joining in to appeal

[USMC 0369]

I received the email also.

I feel the way to appeal is to demand they proved the routes are impacting water quality. If you look at my comments to them based on an investigation by myself and Nick, it's obvious the trails are not causing significant erosion.

[COLOR="#800000"]X2, and in fact my feeling is not something I can openly post. I don't think trails are to blame at all, but perhaps the city's street drains & other run-off combined with the Ski Resorts sediment from the slopes. I would like to see any study that would monitor the sediments put into the lake at any point coming from the trails, and any point coming from the city. My guess is that there is no such study that has been conducted, therefore the "offroad community" must be to blame.[/COLOR]

[Kman]

Are there any updates on the status of this?

[RAT]

Are there any updates on the status of this?

at least 45 days from 11/16/2012 to respond to the appeal, so it is still a ways off.

[RAT]

Anyone else get this email?

Good Morning Mr. Kauffman:

In accordance with Appeal Regulation 36 CFR 215.17(a), I am required to offer you informal disposition regarding your appeal on the ‘Habitat Restoration in the Big Bear Watershed’ project. If you would like to meet with me to discuss your appeal we can do so either in person or via phone. Please contact Tom Hall, Forest Environmental Coordinator to confirm whether you would like to meet or not, and if so, to schedule a meeting. His phone number is (909) 382 2905, and email is thall@fs.fed.us.



Thank you for your interest in the San Bernardino National Forest.



*************************************

Jody Noiron

Forest Supervisor

San Bernardino National Forest

602 South Tippecanoe Ave.

San Bernardino, CA 92408

[FishPOET]

I did not receive any emails from Tom Hall.

[RAT]

I already received a response and some dates to either meet or speak by phone. Should I ask for an MJR group meeting at the tippicanoe office next week?

[Mike]

I might be able to join you. Let me know what day and I will try to be close by. 3 of my company's DCs are close to the Tippecanoe office.